Fastener-button for lacing terminals.



No. 874,161. PATENTEDDBG.1,7, 1907.

T. F. BURKE;

FASTENBR BUTTON FOR LACING TERMINALS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1906.

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THOMAS F. BURKE, OF LOWELLVILLE, OHIO.

FASTENER-BUTTON FOR LACIN G TERMINALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1907.

Application filed July 25, 1906. Serial No. 327,691.

To all whom it may concern:

I to the shoe by constructing the head 2 in the Be it known that I, THOMAS F. BURKE, a form of a rivet which is clenched or riveted in citizen of the United States, residing at Lowan opening or eyelet in the shoe upper, as

ellville, Mahoning county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastener-Buttons for Lacing Terminals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved fastener-button for lacing terminals and has in view the provision of a simple and practical device of this character embodying ready and convenient means for securing the terminal or terminals of a shoe lace after th lacing operation is completed.

A special object of the invention is to provide a type of fastener-button wherein the lace itself is utilized to effect complete security in the fastening whereby the tightening action. increases according to any in- 1crease in strain imposed or placed upon the ace.

With these and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the inventionis better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation showing one method of util izing the improved fastener-button as a fastening for a lacing terminal. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the button showing the method of securing the lace therein. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Like references designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The improved button, forming the subject matter of the present invention, consists of what may be termed a resilient grip shank 1 provided at its inner end with a suitable clencher or retaining head 2 and at its outer end with a guard head 3. The inner retaining head 2 of the button is of sufficient size to provide for properly retaining the button in an eyelet or hole formed in the upper part of a shoe upper U at the point where the lacing in a lace shoe usually terminates, said button being usually arranged opposite a terminal lacing eye 4 forming one of a series of similar eyes accommodating the shoe lace 5.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the button maybe conveniently attached may be plainly'seen from Fig. 4. of the drawings.

To secure the best results in the fastener for guarding the lacing terminal, it is preferable in carrying out the invention to form the upper guard head 3 of a larger size than the inner retaining head 2. Hence, the said guard head is illustrated as preferably being of an elongated or oblong shape to provide wide guarding flanges beneath which the lacing is held protected, and in connection with the said guard head and the shank 1, the button body is slitted longitudinally to provide what may be properly termed. a longitudinally arranged wedging kerf 6. This wedging kerf or slit is disposed longitudinally of the shank 1 and extends the full length thereof from the inner head 2 through the outer guard head 3. The kerf or slit 6 does not cut the inner head 2, but transversely intersects and crosses entirely through the oblong guard hcad 3, so that the lacing terminal may be entered into the kerf of the shank 1 through the slot portion thereof piercing the said head 3.

In order to insure the proper entry of the lacing terminal into the wedging kerf 6, the outer guard head 3 is provided with a guide boss 7. The said boss 7 is projected from the inner face of the head. 3 at one side of the plane of the shank 1 and is disposed contiguous to what maybe termed the lower edge of the head 3 next to the bottom edge of the kerf or slot therein. Also, the guide boss 7 is formed with a curved guiding surface 8 we tending from one end of the head 3 and merging directly into the mouth of the kerf at the lower or bottom edge of said head.

The button body is made of any suitable material having sufficient resiliency to provide a definite spring action, and in using the same in the location referred to, it will be ob served that after lacing the shoe the lacing terminal is wound one or more times around the resilient shank, and while kept taut is drawn firmly against the guide boss 7, which serves to sharply and accurately deflect the lace into the mouth of the kerf at the lower edge of the head 3, thereby placing the same in position where the person can easily draw the lace downward through the kerf in the head into the main portion of the kerf within the shank 1. The lacing terminal will thus be firmly wedged in the button. This Wedging action may be increased by a tight Winding of the lace about the shank and consequently the greater the strain on the lace, the tighter the gripping action of the button shank.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and use of the herein described button will be apparent Without further description.

I claim:

A button of the class described, comprising a resilient grip shank provided at one end with an inner retaining head and at its opposite end With an outer guard head, said shank being further provided with a longitudinal Wedging kerf extending the full length thereof and also entirely cutting through the guard head, said guard head having projected from its inner face an offset boss located Wholly at one side of the kerf along one edge of the head and provided With a curved sur-. face merging directly into the kerf at one side edge of the guard head.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

THOMAS F. BURKE. Witnesses:

G. GREENWOOD, J. P. Rumors. 

